Kigali, Friday 18 December 2020 – President Kagame has on Friday received at Urugwiro Village, letters of credence from Ms. Johanna Teague, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden, Mr. Mandisi Bongani Mabuto Mpahlwa, High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa, and Mr. Doudou Sow, Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal.

Rwanda – Sweden

Rwanda and Sweden have had longstanding cooperation, which began after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Sweden opened a diplomatic office in Kigali in 1997. In 2007, Rwanda opened an Embassy in Stockholm, followed by the opening of a Swedish Embassy in Kigali three years later.

Sweden is Rwanda’s main bilateral partner in the Nordic Region. The relations focus on development cooperation as well as investment and trade cooperation.

Rwanda – South Africa

Rwanda and South Africa relations have been strained for some time. To date, there is still a shortage of visas for Rwandans seeking to travel to South Africa. In March 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa following his talks with President Paul Kagame announced that the issue of Rwandans having difficulty obtaining visas to South Africa will be resolved.

Rwanda has often said that relations between the two countries should not be hindered by the actions of people convicted or wanted for crimes they have committed.

Rwanda - Senegal

Rwanda and Senegal have signed four agreements: A Cultural Cooperation Agreement (1975), General Cooperation Agreement (2004), Establishment of a Joint Permanent Commission (2016), and an MoU in broadcasting with Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) and Radio Television Senegalese.

Currently, one MoU on Education, on Health and a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) are pending for signature. Despite the absence of a BASA, Senegal has however granted authorisation to Rwandair to operate the Kigali-Dakar route, which has been operational since October 2017 with three flights a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). RwandAir has however temporarily suspended its flights to Dakar due to COVID – 19.